“Yesterday evening the illusion of Coppet was complete.  I had been with Madame de Stael to call on Madame Rilliet, who is so charming at her own fireside.  On my return I played chess with Sismondi.  Madame de Stael, Mlle. Randall, and Mlle. Jenner sat on the sofa chatting with Bonstetten and young Barante.  We were as we had always been—­as we were in the days that I shall never cease regretting.”

Other descriptions exist in great abundance, but these suffice to serve our purpose.  They show us the Coppet salon as it was pleasant, brilliant, unconventional; something like Holland House, but more Bohemian; something like Harley Street, but more select; something like Gad’s Hill—­which it resembled in the fact that the members of the house-parties were expected to spend their mornings at their desks—­but on a higher social plane; a center at once of high thinking and frivolous behavior; of hard work and desperate love-making, which sometimes paved the way to trouble.

Footnotes: 

[Footnote 1:  From “Hungary.”  Published by the Macmillan Co.]

[Footnote 2:  From “Hungary.”  Published by the Macmillan Co.]

[Footnote 3:  From “Sketches from the Subject and Neighbour Lands of Venice.”  Published by the Macmillan Co.]

[Footnote 4:  The modern Marseilles.]

[Footnote 5:  An ancient Italian town on the Adriatic, founded by Syracusans about 300 B.C. and still an important seaport.]

[Footnote 6:  The city in Provence where have survived a beautiful Roman arch and a stupendous Roman theater in which classical plays are still given each year by actors from the Theatre Francais.]

[Footnote 7:  Diocletian.]

[Footnote 8:  A reference to the exquisite Maison Carree of Nimes.]

[Footnote 9:  That is, of Venice.]

[Footnote 10:  The famous general of the Emperor Justinian, reputed to have become blind and been neglected in his old age.]

[Footnote 11:  From “Sketches from the Subject and Neighbour Lands of Venice.”  Published by the Macmillan Co.]

[Footnote 12:  From “Through Savage Europe.”  Published by J.B.  Lippincott Co.]

[Footnote 13:  From “Sketches from the Subject and Neighbour Lands of Venice.”  Published by the Macmillan Co.]

[Footnote 14:  That is, lands where the Greek Church prevails.]

[Footnote 15:  John Mason Neale, author of “An Introduction to the History of the Holy Eastern Church.”]

[Footnote 16:  Montenegro.]

[Footnote 17:  From “A Girl in the Karpathians.”  After publishing this book.  Miss Dowie became the wife of Henry Norman, the author and traveler.]

[Footnote 18:  One of Poland’s greatest poets.]

[Footnote 19:  From “Views Afoot.”  Published by G.P.  Putnam’s Sons.]

[Footnote 20:  The population now (1914) is 24,000.]